Galeophobia
by TwilightObsessed522
Summary: Bella Swan has always been afraid of sharks, but after witnessing a fatal attack involving a close friend, her fear became a severe phobia. Will a Shark Expert doing research on attacks, be able to help her overcome it? AH. Rated M. BPOV only. BxE
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi, everyone! I have a new story! It's called "Galeophobia" which means 'fear of sharks'.**

**I normally wouldn't try having two different stories going at the same time, but this has been floating around in my head for awhile, so I figured its about time to get it out.**

**I hope you like it.**

**I've always had a deep fascination with sharks, and have watched tons of movies and documentaries, and read lots of books about them, but ****I am by no means an expert****. All I can promise, is to do my best with keeping things as real and factual as I can.**

**I'll try not to make things too gory or explicit.**

**So, here we go.**

**Summary: Bella Swan has always been afraid of sharks, but after witnessing a fatal attack involving a close friend, her fear became a severe phobia. Will a Shark Expert doing research on attacks, be able to help her overcome it? AH. Rated M. BPOV only. BxE.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Galeophobia**

**Chapter 1**

**March 1, 2013**

It was half past noon and I was keeping busy with my task of pushing a cart full of books around the Fork's Library, putting them away.

It was one of the few things I enjoyed doing. It was relaxing.

Push. Stop. Shelve. Repeat.

It's a simple task, and yet every time I did it, I took a risk.

A risk of having a terrible panic attack, because a certain kind of book forgot to be removed from the cart before my arrival to work, or it was accidentally missed.

The type of book I'm talking about, is anything that has to do with... sharks.

I shudder a little. Even thinking the word causes my chest to tighten in fear.

Ever since I was a small child, I've been afraid of sharks, but it wasn't an unhealthy kind of fear. It was the kind where you were aware of the danger, and thought about it for a second, and then you continued on with your life.

But all of that changed last year.

I continued putting books back in their rightful places to keep the memories of that day at bay.

I was almost done when it happened.

There were a couple of books about whales that needed to be put back, but in order to get to where they go, I had to walk past the section I dreaded to be anywhere near.

Whenever I had to walk past those books, I closed my eyes to walk the few feet to my destination.

As I did so, I failed to see a man carrying an armful of books round the corner and walk towards me, not paying attention to his surroundings.

When I bumped into him, my eyes flew open, and I heard his books fall to the floor.

"Sorry!" he said quickly. "I wasn't paying attention. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. What about you? Are you okay? It was my fault. I had my eyes closed, and I didn't see you there," I rambled. I started to apologize as I bent over to help him pick up his books, but the words died on my tongue as I saw what kind of books he had.

Shark books.

The image on the first one I saw sent chills down my spine. My hands began to shake and it got hard to breathe. Blood started pounding in my ears, and I could hear the man speaking, but I couldn't make out the words.

I got really dizzy, and I could feel myself begin to fall.

But the impact of the ground never came.

The last thing I felt and saw as I passed out, were strong arms wrapping around me, stopping my fall, and a pair of unfamiliar eyes as green as the forests of Forks.

**A/N: So what do you think? Should I continue with this story or not?**

**If I do, I'm not going to have an update schedule since I'm currently working on another story right now, too.**

**See you soon! :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has left a review and favorited this story so far. You guys are awesome. :)**

**Now onto the story!**

**Disclaimer : Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 2**

As I slowly began to regain conciousness, I could hear people talking.

_"Is she going to be alright?" a worried male voice asked._

_"Yeah. She'll be fine. This isn't the first time its happened," Eric Yorkie replied nonchalantly._

_"I must have done something wrong to cause her to react like that."_

_"Nah, it wasn't you, she must have seen your books."_

I could hear the confusion in the man's voice when he asked, _"My books?"_

_"Yeah. You see, Bella has a very severe fear of...sharks. Anyone so much as says the word around her and she freaks out," explained Eric._

_"Why is she so afraid-"_

I opened my eyes and turned my head to look at the man who was speaking. The movement caught his attention and he stopped talking.

"Hey! You're awake!" exclaimed Eric. I glanced away from the mystery man and looked at him.

I cleared my throat before I spoke. "Yeah."

"How are you feeling?" asked the stranger. I couldn't help but notice how smooth his voice sounded. I liked it.

"Um, I'm okay. Who are you?" I questioned as I looked him over.

He was very handsome. He didn't look much older than me, and he had this odd, bronze colored hair, and the greenest eyes I've ever seen on a person. He also had the sexiest jawline I have ever seen on a man.

"My name is Edward Cullen," he answered.

"Bella Swan," I replied. "It's nice to meet you, Edward." I held my hand out for him to shake, but when he reached his hand towards mine, I noticed a small, crecent shaped scar on his arm. It was a shape that I had seen before, albeit much smaller, but the same thing made it none the less.

A shark.

I gasped and pulled my hand back as if it had been burned.

Edward must have realized what upset me, and pulled his sleeve down to cover it. "I'm sorry. Eric was just telling me about your fear of sharks, and I didn't even think of my scar." He sighed and ran his hand though his hair, clearly upset with himself.

"I'll be okay," I said softly.

He didn't seem convinced, but he let it go. "Fine." He looked down at his watch and sighed again. "I need to get going. It was nice to meet you, Bella. Perhaps I'll see you around," he grinned.

"Yeah. Same here."

And then he turned and started to walk away.

"Wait!" I shouted. Edward stopped and faced me. "Don't forget your...books." I grimaced at the thought of them.

Edward smiled at me and replied, "They're already taken care of, but thanks."

And once more, he turned around and walked away.

I sighed.

And I couldn't help but notice that as well as being nice and handsome, he has a really nice ass, too.

I shook my head at that thought.

This man was going to be trouble for me.

**A/N: How was it?**

**I know it was short, but I'm not sure how long I want the chapters to be for this story yet. I was thinking about somewhere between 400-1500 words.**

**See you soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey, everyone! I just want to start off by thanking everyone who has left me a review, or is now following my story. You rock!**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 3**

**March 2, 2013**

_I was dreaming._

_I know I was, because I was on a beach. A place I no longer went near while I was awake._

_My heart began to speed up inside of my chest._

_A quick scan of the area showed it was deserted. There wasn't a single person in sight._

_My eyes went to the water next. _

_It was as calm as an ocean could be, with gentle waves slowly lapping against the shore._

_There was no sign of danger anywhere, and I began to relax._

_I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the cool, slightly salty air, while listening to the waves and the birds._

_As I opened my eyes again, I noticed the water beginning to change. _

_It was turning red._

_I began to panic again. I turned and began to run away from the water, but a pair of strong, muscular arms wrapped around me from behind, stopping me in my tracks._

_Something about them seemed familar somehow, and I relaxed a bit._

_I realized why after the man spoke into my ear. "Bella, stop running away," he said softly._

_I knew that voice. It was smooth like honey._

_"Edward?" I gasped._

_He let me go and I turned around and faced him._

_He stepped closer to me so we were almost touching and looked into my eyes._

_Edward took my hands into his own and whispered, "You don't have to be afraid."_

_Then he leaned his head towards mine, and just as he got close enough for me to feel his breath on my lips..._I was startled out of my sleep by my cell phone going off.

_**"Bad boys, bad boys. Whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?"**_

I reached over and groaned when I saw the time, before I answered it.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Morning, Bells!" my dad replied cheerfully.

I tried to keep the irritation out of my voice, but it didn't work. "Dad, not that I'm not happy to talk to you, but why are you calling me at 7 AM on a Saturday? It should be a crime to wake up this early."

My dad chuckled. "Sorry, Bells. I'm not used to calling you until much later, so I wasn't sure when you'd be up."

"Yeah, I like to sleep in on the weekends. Like a normal person." I sighed. "Aren't you normally out fishing right about now?"

I heard my dad sigh in disappointment. "Yeah, but its raining out today."

"Dad, this is Forks. It always rain here."

"Have you looked outside your window? It pouring out," he asked.

"Seeing as though I was sleeping when you called...no, I haven't looked outside," I answered grumpily.

My dad laughed. "Well, I can tell you want to go back to sleep, so I'll just get to why I called. I just wanted to know if you wanted to come and visit me for a bit, later on."

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll be there around three o'clock."

"Good!" he exclaimed happily. "I'll see you then. Bye."

"Bye."

I hung up and tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't.

I just kept thinking about my dream and what it could mean.

**A/N: So, what do you think her dream meant?**

**I'd rather be in rainy Forks right now, than in Chicago. It snowed here last night. It looks like we got about 4 inches. It sucks.**

**See you soon! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites.**

**One of my readers left a review saying that this story is just about exactly the same as another story called **_**Beneath the Surface **_**by My-Bella. **

**When I started writing this story, I had absolutely no idea that there was another story like mine. I had never read it before. So, I went and read the first few chapters of it, and while there are some similarities between the two, there are actually far more differences. ****Any similarities are merely coincidence.**

**I wanted to do a shark story because I watched a JAWS marathon a few weeks ago.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 4**

I kept trying to wrap my head around that dream, but all it did was give me a headache.

I think the strangest part about it, was how familiar it felt to be near Edward. After all, I had just met the guy yesterday.

I tried not to think about it too much, so I decided to clean up around the house a bit before going over and visiting my dad.

Charlie and I are really close. My mom left when I was 3 years old, so it had just been the two of us for the longest time. I had lived with him up until I went to college in Seattle. After I had graduated, I moved into a little house not too far from the one I grew up in.

Despite how close our homes are to each other, we don't get to see each other all the time. Between the both of us working, it wasn't easy. But I try to see him as often as I can.

His job can be pretty dangerous, since he's the Chief of Police in Forks, and he's also getting older, so there's no telling how much time we have to spend together.

If there's one thing I know, it's how precious both life and time can be.

By the time I pulled up into the driveway of my old home at exactly three o'clock, my father was already waiting for me at the door with a towel.

It was still pouring out, so I quickly ran the distance from my truck to the porch, but I still got drenched.

Once I reached the door, I grabbed the towel from my dad and dried myself off before stepping inside the house.

"Thanks," I said to him.

He chuckled. "No problem, kiddo. I figured you'd need it." He smiled. "You never did like using umbrellas."

I rolled my eyes. "What's the point? Its like, 15 feet from my truck to the front door. And with a downpour as heavy as it is outside right now, I would have gotten drenched anyways in the time it would take to open one up," I argued playfully.

"Whatever you say, Bells."

Thirty minutes later, we were both sitting in front of the tv flipping through the channels while trying to find something to watch.

"So," my dad began. "I ran into Eric Yorkie this morning at the store."

I sighed loudly. I knew where this conversation was going.

"And?" I asked.

He glanced at me for a second before refocusing on the tv. "_And_...he mentioned you had another panic attack yesterday."

"Yeah, but I'm okay. It wasn't that bad," I lied.

Charlie looked at me at scowled. "Bullshit! Yorkie said you passed out, and if it weren't for Edward Cullen, you could have gotten seriously hurt."

I looked at him in surprise. "Yeah, but I didn't! And how do you know Edward Cullen?"

My father shrugged his shoulders. "He's Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's boy. I met him the other day."

I contemplated that for a moment. I don't ever remember Esme or Carlisle mentioning a son. They moved here about 8 months ago from Chicago. My father and I have gotten to know them really well, especially from all the hospital visits we have. They are both really wonderful people.

"Speaking of which," continued my dad, "they've invited us over for dinner tomorrow night."

My heart began to beat just a little bit faster at the thought of seeing Edward again. "Okay," I replied.

Charlie nodded his head. "Good. We have to be there by 6 o'clock, so please be on time."

I rolled my eyes again. "I'm always on time. You're the one who has trouble being prompt."

He huffed. "I'm never late! Everyone else is just early."

I laughed. "Sure, Dad. Keep telling yourself that."

"Oh, I will," he joked.

I snorted.

I have no doubt that dinner is going to be very interesting tomorrow night.

**A/N: How was it?**

**I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to post any new chapters this week, but I'll certainly try.**

**See you soon! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I really don't have much to say today, other than thanks for reviewing, following, and favoriting this story.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 5**

**March 3, 2013**

I was nervous.

It was Sunday night, and my father and I were currently standing in front of the Cullen's front door, listening to someone's footsteps approach from the other side.

I really hoped it was Edward, but as the door opened, it revealed the smiling face of his father, Carlisle.

Carlisle spoke to my father first. "Good evening, Charlie." Then he turned to me. "And good evening to you as well, Bella. We're glad you both could make it."

"Thank you for inviting us," my dad and I said at the same time.

We all chuckled a little and then Carlisle said, "You're both welcome. Esme and I figured it was about time to have you two over for dinner again, and it also gives you the opportunity to get to know our son, Edward, better."

He stepped aside and ushered us into the house. "Would the two of you like something to drink?" he asked politely.

"I'll take a beer, if you've got one," answered Charlie.

Carlisle grinned. "Good choice." Then he turned to me. "Bella? What would you like?"

"Um, I'm good for now, but thanks anyways."

"Alright. Let me know if you change your mind. If you want, you can go look for Edward in the living room, while your father and I get our drinks."

I nodded and gave him a small smile. "That sounds like a plan."

"Okay, then. Esme is just finishing up dinner, so we'll call you both when it's ready."

The men turned and made their way towards the kitchen, while I walked down the hall to the living room.

I had only met Edward the one time, and yet, for some reason I felt drawn to him.

However, a small part of me was also a little uneasy around him, because I know he has some kind of connection to the things I fear the most, if his scar and the books he got, were anything to go by.

As I walked into the room, my eyes immediately landed on the bronze-haired man sitting on the sofa, doing something on a laptop.

When he heard me approach, he looked up and smiled at me, before closing his laptop and getting up and walking over to me.

"Bella! It's good to see you again. How are you?" he asked.

"I'm good. And you?" I asked shyly.

"Better, now that you're here," he replied with a grin and a wink.

I could feel my cheeks begin to turn red, and Edward chuckled. I'm starting to feel like a 14 year old girl talking to a crush, instead of a 23 year old. But then again, I suppose that happens when a hot guy flirts with you.

I lowered my head so my hair would cover my face. A moment later, I jumped when I felt his fingers brush my hair behind my ears. I didn't realize he had stepped closer to me.

"Don't do that," he commanded gently.

I looked up at him and asked, "Do what?"

"Hide your face," he answered. He took a step back and gave me a small smile. "I find your blush very...what's the word I'm looking for?"

"Embarrassing?" I supplied.

Edward shook his head. "No. That's not what I was going for. I was thinking more along the lines of endearing."

I looked at him skeptically. "Do you really mean that? Or are you just trying to charm me some more?"

When Edward's smile grew wider, I realized what I said. I clapped my hands over my mouth and my cheeks grew even hotter than they did before.

"You find me charming, huh?" I could hear the amusement in his voice.

I opened my mouth to speak, but I was interrupted by Carlisle's loud shout. "Bella! Edward! Dinner's ready!"

I breathed a sigh of relief.

I glanced at Edward real quick and then turned around to walk out of the room. I could hear him walking behind me, and as we reached the doorway that led to the hallway, he leaned down and whispered in my ear. "For the record, I think you're pretty charming, too."

I stood there stunned, as he moved around me and continued making his way down to the dining room.

I was right. This is turning into a very interesting night.

**A/N: How was it?**

**The rest of the dinner will be in the next chapter.**

**See you soon! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for all of your reviews. **

**Ready for more? ;)**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 6**

Once the shock of Edward's whispered words wore off, I quickly made my way down the long hallway after him.

As we both reached the door to the dining room, he stopped and opened the door for me. "Ladies first," he said with a grin and a sweep of his hand.

I returned his grin and replied, "Thank you," and then I walked into the room with Edward behind me.

My father and Carlisle were already sitting down at the table talking animatedly and holding half empty beers in their hands. They both stopped when we walked over to the table.

"I hope you two don't mind sitting next to each other," remarked Carlisle with a smile.

I glanced at Edward quickly and smiled before turning my gaze back to Carlisle.

"We don't mind," answered Edward for the both of us.

I chose the seat to the left of Edward so I would feel more comfortable. His scar is on his right wrist, and the thought of having my own hand near the mark made me uneasy. He was wearing long sleeves, but I still knew it was underneath one.

As we sat down, I could smell the delicious aromas from the food already on the table. There were twice baked potatoes, fresh lettuce for a salad and all different kinds of toppings, green bean casserole, and dinner rolls.

"Where's Esme?" I asked curiously.

Carlisle replied, "She'll be right here in a moment. She's just getting the ham out of the oven."

"Okay."

"Would you like something to drink now, Bella?"

"Some ice water would be nice. Thank you for asking," I answered.

He looked at Edward and asked, "Edward, would you mind running to the kitchen and grabbing Bella a water?"

Edward shook his head. "I don't mind at all." Then he looked over to me. "I'll be right back."

I nodded silently and turned my head to listen to what my father and Carlisle were discussing.

After a moment, I realized they were telling each other stories of some of the more gruesome things they've seen in their professions. I was starting to lose my apetite, so I excused myself and went to go find Esme and Edward in the kitchen.

On the way there, I ran into them.

"Hello, Bella dear. How are you?" Esme asked as she carried the large tray with the ham on it.

I smiled at her and replied, "Hi, Esme. I'm doing well. And you?"

"I'm wonderful. Thank you for asking."

The ham looked kind of heavy, so I asked, "Would you like some help with that?"

Esme shook her head, "No thank you, dear. I've got it."

Edward handed me a cold water bottle, and said, "Here you go."

I smiled up at him. "Thanks."

We all walked back to the dining room together in a peaceful silence. Once we reached it, Esme set the ham on the table before walking over to where Carlisle was now standing, waiting to pull her chair out for her.

It was such a romantic gesture. The amount of love that can be seen between the two of them never ceased to amaze me.

As I slightly turned to push my own chair out, so I could sit, I realized that while watching Carlisle and Esme, Edward had already pulled my chair out for me, mimicking the actions of his parents.

"Thank you, Edward."

"You're welcome," he replied politely, as he took his own seat.

"Now that everyone is seated...dig in!" Carlisle said with enthusiasm.

After we all had food on our plates, conversations began to start. About halfway through dinner, Charlie struck up a conversation with Edward.

"So, Edward," he began. "What do you do for a living?"

**A/N: Such manners. A lot of people these days just don't have them. I remember in high school there were times when I'd address a teacher as 'Sir' or 'M'am' and then my friends would give me weird look and ask, "What are you, like fifty?" LOL. My response would be, "Um, no. I was raised by my grandmother, so I actually have these things called manners." That was just a few years ago, too.**

**So, how do you think Bella is going to react when she hears what Edward does for a living?**

**See you soon! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for reviewing, favoriting, and following my story.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 7**

As soon as my father asked that, we all stopped what we were doing and looked over to Edward, waiting for his answer.

Edward gave me a nervous look and began to fidget uncomfortably in his chair.

What was up with that?

"Um...well..." he stammered. He looked over at his parents, as if he was silently asking for their help.

When I glanced over at them, I couldn't quite understand their expressions. They kind of looked...resigned, almost. As if they were expecting something bad to happen, but couldn't do anything to avoid it.

Now I was starting to get anxious, and the tension that now filled the air, wasn't helping that feeling.

"Well?" Charlie asked curiously.

I turned to look at Edward again, and he gave me a sad smile before clearing his throat and answering.

"Um, I'm a Marine Biologist."

A Marine Biologist? That's why he was so nervous? He probably works with dolphins and whales.

As if reading my thoughts, my dad asked, "So, you study whales or something?"

Edward and his parents chuckled lightly and once they stopped, their smiles disappeared.

"Uh...no," replied Edward. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously as he quickly glanced at me again.

Why does he keep looking at me like that?

Before he could reply, Carlisle spoke up. "Actually Charlie, Edward is an Icthyologist."

If I wasn't so anxious, I would have laughed at my father's confused expression. He looked around at everyone before his gaze landed back on Edward. "What the hell is an Ickyologist? I thought you said you were a Marine Biologist?"

Edward opened his mouth to speak, but his mother beat him to it. "Charlie, it's Ic_thy_ologist, not '_Icky_ologist'," she corrected. "And he _is _a Marine Biologist. He specializes in Icthyology, though."

"I've heard those words before, but I don't know what they mean," I said.

"Icthyology is the study of...fish," Edward answered hesitantly.

"You study fish?" Charlie asked flatly. "Sounds..._interesting_." He took a quick sip of his long forgotten beer and asked, "What kind of fish do you _study_?"

As I turned my head away from my father to look at Edward, I saw Esme and Carlisle give each other a 'look' before they turned towards me with worry filled eyes.

That's when I knew that whatever Edward was going to say, I wasn't going to like it, because it wasn't a 'happy' look...it was an 'Oh Shit!' kind of look, and it made my stomach churn.

And then he said it.

"I study...sharks," he said quietly, as if doing so would make his words any less powerful.

We all sat there in a stunned silence for a moment.

Edward closed his eyes and took a deep breath, while I stared at him in shock, and everyone else was staring at me...waiting for a reaction.

Which they all got a few seconds later, when my hand flew up to my mouth and I shot out of my chair, hoping to make it to the bathroom in time before I threw up.

**A/N: What do you think?**

**If you've seen any, what's your favorite shark movie?**

**I have a couple, but one of my favorites is "Bait". As far as visual effects go, this is one of the best. The sharks look so real. It is a bit gory, but then again, what shark movie isn't? As a bonus, it also stars Xavier Samuel from 'Eclipse'. For those of you who don't know who he is, he plays Riley Biers. **

**Phoebe Tonkin from "The Originals" is also in it, too.**

**See you soon! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for the reviews.**

**I just want to ask that if anyone has any questions about the story that they want answered, please SIGN IN or leave me a PM. Thanks.**

**Since I'm just telling you this now, I'm going to answer one though.**

**To the Guest reviewer that asked why Bella is so afraid of sharks, the summary answers that question. Basically, she witnessed one her friends get killed by a shark and it traumatized her. It will be explained in more detail in a later chapter.**

**Also, I just want to address that phobias should not be made fun of. They are considered to be a real mental illness.**

**In case you don't know the difference between a FEAR and a PHOBIA, a fear may cause a person to be slightly bothered by something, while a phobia can cause a person to have a physical or psychological impairment (such as throwing up or anxiety attacks), that affects their everday life in some way.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 8**

Luckily for me, I was able to make it to the bathroom in time.

Unfortunately, I spent the next five minutes heaving my guts out.

Once I was sure I wasn't going to be sick again, I flushed the toilet and went over to the sink to rinse my mouth out using a little paper cup and some Listerine.

As I opened the door, I was met with a very concerned looking Carlisle.

"Are you alright, Bella?" he asked gently.

I tried to give him a small smile, but it came out more like a grimace. "I'm...okay."

He studied my face for a moment before saying, "Let's go to my office. I think we should have a talk."

"What about everyone else?" I asked, trying to get out of it. I had a feeling I knew what this was about.

Carlisle shrugged it off. "Don't worry about them. I already informed them that I'd like to speak to you privately."

"Okay," I whispered in defeat.

I followed him to his office and once inside, he closed the door behind us.

He gestured to a chair in front of his desk and said, "Please, have a seat."

I did as he asked and waited for him to take a seat as well and start talking.

"Bella, I'm very well aware of your phobia, and I know I'm not a Psychologist, but...it seems like this is getting out of hand. I also know that tonight wasn't the only incident this week."

I sighed in annoyance. "Let me guess, my dad told you about the other day?"

Carlisle nodded. "He did. He's concerned about you. This phobia is controlling your life, Bella. Maybe it's time you take that control back. I think I already know your answer, but have you thought anymore about what we discussed a few months ago?"

A few months ago, I had another panic attack at work and passed out and hit my head on the book cart. Thankfully, I only had a slight concussion and was otherwise unharmed. That's the day Carlisle learned of my phobia, and suggested that I speak to a Psychologist about it.

But I had refused. As long as I avoided anything to do with...sharks, then I'd be fine.

At least, that's what I had convinced myself.

But Carlisle was right. This phobia I have is ruling my life.

For almost a year now, I've avoided a lot of my favorite things and people in my life because they remind me of that awful, horrifying day last May.

And I miss them. But I don't see how a Psychologist can help me.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Carlisle calling my name.

"Bella?"

I blinked a few times and replied quietly, "Yeah?"

"What are you thinking about?" he asked curiously.

I shrugged a little. "A bunch of stuff."

"Okay," he said slowly. "I can tell that you're still unsure about speaking to a Psychologist, but can I suggest something else perhaps?"

"I suppose."

He took a deep breath before he began. "Have you ever heard of 'Systematic Desensitization?'"

I shook my head. "No. What is that?"

"It's a type of therapy that's been fairly successful in helping people overcome their phobias. Basically what occurs, is that the person with the phobia, first starts by learning different kinds of relaxation techniques.

Once they do that, the person, along with a therapist, create something called an 'anxiety hierarchy.'

The hierarchy is a list of anxiety-provoking situations or stimuli that are arranged in order from the least to the most distressing.

Then with the therapist's support and guidance, the person must learn to reach a state of relaxation while facing one of the steps, before they can move on to the next one, and repeating the process.

By facing more difficult situations progressively, and developing a consistent state of relaxation with the feared object, a person learns to associate their object of fear with a feeling of relaxation, rather than anxiety. Thus, a gradual desensitization occurs.

Do you understand all of that?"

I nodded slowly. "I think so," I answered.

Carlisle gave me a small smile. "Good. Does that sound like something you'd like to try?"

I took a moment to think of all the things I was missing out on before giving him my answer.

"Yes."

**A/N: So, no Edward in this chapter, but we did get a bit of Carlisle.**

**I hope I didn't confuse you too much with the '****Systematic Desensitization' and 'Anxiety Hierarchy' talk. I tried to uncomplicate it as much as I could.**

**If you ever watched the Animal Planet show, My Extreme Animal Phobia, that aired a few years ago, this is the process they use. **

**If you've never seen it, you can buy and watch episodes on Amazon or Itunes. You can also find some clips on Youtube, but they're less than 5 minutes long.**

**See you soon, and Happy Easter! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hey, everyone. Sorry for the lack of updates this week. I've been really busy.**

**Thanks for your reviews.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight.**_

**Chapter 9**

**March 7, 2013**

Today was Thursday.

It's been four days since the dinner at the Cullen's house.

After I had agreed to seek some help for my phobia, Carlisle had made a call the next day to a therapist he knew that had some experience dealing with phobias, and was able to get me an appointment for today.

So here I was, sitting in my living room reading a book, while waiting for Carlisle to come and pick me up to take me to Port Angeles for my first session.

I had originally protested against having to be driven, since I was more than capable of getting there myself, but then Carlisle explained to me that he'd feel better if someone else took me, in the event that I end up having some kind of panic attack during my session, which by the way, didn't exactly make me feel any better about going. So for safety reasons, I agreed.

Just as I finished up the page I was currently reading, I heard a car pull up into my driveway.

I put my book into my bag and got up and walked out the front door. I stopped to lock it, and then turned around to walk to the car sitting in my driveway.

Only it wasn't Carlisle's black Mercedes that sat there.

It was a silver Volvo.

I hesitantly walked over to the car, and as I approached it, the driver's side door opened and a familiar bronze head of hair appeared.

Edward.

I hadn't seen or heard from him since the night of the dinner, and despite the fact that I was nervous to be near him because of what I now know he does for a living, I was happy to see him, and also slightly confused.

He flashed me a big smile as he walked around to where I was standing and said, "Hey, Bella. How are you, today?"

"Hi." I gave him a small smile of my own and fiddled with my bag a little, and replied, "Um, I'm okay...I guess. What are you doing here?"

"I'm your ride," he answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh. I thought your dad was supposed to take me?"

Edward nodded. "He was, but he got called in to the hospital at the last minute, so he asked me if I could take you, and I said yes. I hope you don't mind."

I shook my head at him and gave him a small smile. "I don't mind at all. I was just taken by surprise."

"Are you sure? I don't want to make you uncomfortable, especially after the other night."

"Edward, don't worry about it, okay? We really need to get going, or I'm going to be late."

"Right," he mumbled quietly. He opened my door for me and after I buckled myself in, he shut my door and made his way to the other side of the car and got in and did the same.

And then we were off to Port Angeles. It takes about an hour to get there from Forks, so I was hoped that we could maybe spend that time talking and getting to know each other more, but everytime I tried to engage him in conversation, he just didn't seem that into it, so I gave up and took my book out of my bag and picked up where I left off earlier.

I was sure he was upset about something, but I didn't want to pry.

About 45 minutes later, we were almost to PA when all of a sudden, Edward blurted out, "Can I ask you a personal question?"

I looked at him warily, and replied, "I guess so."

"Well, I heard my dad mention to my mom that he was really happy that you finally decided to try and get some help for your fear, and so I kind of got the impression that you had the opportunity to get help before but didn't take it. So, I was wondering why you decided to get help now?"

I sighed and put my book away before I answered.

"I guess...I just want to live again," I said softly.

Edward gave me a quick glance, and asked gently, "What do you mean?"

I looked out the window as I spoke. "You have no idea what it's like to live in such fear of something, Edward." I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath and exhaled. "I used to be normal, you know. I used to go out all the time and have fun with my friends, never worrying about much."

"What happened?"

I shook my head, already beginning to feel the anxiety starting up. "I'm not ready to talk about that yet."

"Okay. You don't have to," he replied soothingly.

I waited for a minute to calm myself, before I continued to talk.

"When things changed, I stopped going out. I'd only leave my house to go to the store, or work, or to see my dad. I isolated myself from my friends because it was too hard to be around them. I started having to be careful to avoid anything to do with..._those things_, or risk having a bad reaction. My life has become...all about fear, and I don't want that anymore. But while I'm mostly doing this for myself, I'm also doing this for the people I care about. I hate making my dad worry all the time, and I miss my friends, if I can even still call them that."

"In any case, I'm glad that you want help now, although my own reason for that may be a bit more selfish," said Edward.

"How so?"

"Well, I know that we've only known each other for a week, but I really like you, Bella. A lot." He shot me a quick smile and continued. "I know that sounds silly, but it's true. There's just something about you that I'm drawn to."

"Really? I feel the same way about you," I said happily.

He gave me a quick nod. "Yeah. And I'm very glad to hear that, but we'll have to finish this discussion at a later time, because we're here," he said, as we pulled into the parking lot of a small modern looking building. Edward pulled into an empty space right in front and turned the car off.

He turned to look at me, and a warm smile crossed his face. "Are you ready?"

I shrugged and sighed. "Not really, but I have to do this," I said with determination.

"Do you want me to stay out here in the car, or come in with you?"

I looked back over at the building, and that familiar feeling of nervousness began to slowly take hold of me. I turned back to Edward and said, "I want you to come in with me."

"Alright, let's go in."

Edward got out of the car and before I could open my door, he did it for me. "Thanks."

He flashed me a grin, and replied, "Your welcome."

We started to walk up the sidewalk to the double doors, but each step closer made my nerves spike just a little higher, so I did the only thing I could think of at the moment to take my mind off of my nervousness. I switched to the other side of Edward and grabbed his left hand, the one without the scar.

Almost instantly, I began to feel more relaxed.

He gave my hand a little squeeze, and asked, "Are you okay?"

I smiled at him and said, "I am now."

And then we opened the doors, and walked inside.

**A/N: What did you think?**

**See you soon! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hi. Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

**I got one review asking if Edward's scar is from a shark bite, and if that's the reason why Bella is afraid of them.**

**So, yes, Edward's scar is from a shark bite, but it's not the reason for Bella's fear. As of right now, Bella has only known Edward for about a week, so her fear developed long before he showed up.**

**It will all be explained in future chapters.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 10**

As soon as we were fully inside the building, Edward and I both stopped and stood still, taking in our surroundings.

I very surprised to see that the inside was nothing like the outside. While the outside appearance was very modern and sterile looking, the inside looked more like a hotel. Instead of uncomfortable chairs in the waiting area, there were plush sofas, and even a fireplace.

It was very...inviting.

Once we were done looking around, we walked over to the reception desk so I could check in.

There was an older woman typing on a computer behind the desk. She looked up at us and smiled. "Hello. Are you here for an appointment?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Alright. Is this your first time here?"

I nodded.

"Okay." She handed me a clipboard with a couple of papers on it. "I'll need you to fill these out after you fill out the sign-in sheet. Just bring the clipboard back up here when you're finished, and then just wait for the Doctor to come and get you. He should be finishing up with another patient right now, so you have plenty of time."

I gave her a polite smile and said, "Thank you." Then I took the clipboard, grabbed a pen, and walked over to one of the sofas to fill out the forms. Edward sat down next to me and picked a magazine off the coffee table, and began to thumb through it.

It took me about ten minutes to complete all of the forms, and just as I handed the clipboard back to the receptionist, a door down the hall opened up and an older gentleman came out and walked over to the desk, scheduled another appointment, and then left.

I guessed that was the patient before me, so it was only a matter of time before the doctor came out to get me.

And three minutes later, he did.

I have to admit, he was nothing like I had imagined in my head. I had envisioned a man about 50 years old, with white hair and glasses, but that came nowhere close to the real deal.

Instead, he was maybe a few years older than me, about Edward's age I'd guess, and he was tall and kind of had a swimmer's build. He had slightly curly blonde hair past his ears, and dark blue eyes. Overall, he was very handsome, but he had nothing on Edward.

He began to walk over to where Edward and I were sitting, and as he did so, I glanced over at Edward real quick, to find that he was completely engrossed with whatever he was reading and wasn't paying attention to anything going on around him.

The doctor finally reached us and gave me a crooked smile before speaking. "Isabella Swan?" he asked with a slight southern accent.

I nodded. "I just go by Bella," I replied.

"Okay. Well, Bella, my name is Dr. Jasper Whitlock..."

As soon as he said his name, Edward's head snapped up, and he smiled as soon as he looked at him. "Jazz?"

Dr. Whitlock looked at Edward and with a look of disbelief, asked, "Cullen? What brings you here? How have you been?" he asked with a laugh.

They proceeded to give each other a man hug, all while I'm standing there watching with amusement.

"You two know each other?" I asked.

Edward looked at me happily, and replied, "Yeah, we were roommates in college." He looked back at Dr. Whitlock, and said, "Man, it's good to see you again!"

"Yeah, same here. I assume you're here with Bella?"

"Yeah. I'm not going to be in the room during her session, though. I'm waiting out here."

Dr. Whitlock nodded. "Alright, well, Bella and I should go get started then. Afterwards, we'll have to exchange numbers and we can make plans to hang out and catch up, alright?" he asked Edward.

"Totally."

Edward sat back down and picked up the magazine he was reading while the doctor and I walked back to his office.

Once we were both inside, Dr. Whitlock closed the door behind us and offered me a seat on an expensive looking leather sofa that sat about four feet across from another one, which he took.

He smiled at me and began to talk. "Before we begin, there are a couple of things I want to go over with you, alright?"

I nodded my head and replied, "Okay."

"First off, you can call me Jasper. I've found that most people are more comfortable in a less formal environment, but if a formal environment is what you want, then feel free to call me Dr. Whitlock. Secondly, I've already been made aware of why you're here, thanks to a phone call from Dr. Cullen, so I just want you to know that we're not going to talk about your phobia today. And lastly, Dr. Cullen told me that he explained to you about 'systematic desensitization' and 'anxiety hierarchies', correct?"

"Yes."

Jasper nodded and said, "Okay. So the first part of those processes, is learning some different ways to relax in stressful situations, which is what I'd like to work on right now. So, let's begin, shall we?"

"Alright."

"The first one is what I like to call the 'noodle technique'. What I want you to do is first sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, and your back up against the sofa."

I did as he asked and then waited for his next instructions.

"Now, I want you to tense all of your muscles, and then I want you to completely relax and breathe deeply in and out and imagine that your limbs are weightless. And once I think you're in that state, I'll pick up one of your arms, and it should fall back down without any resistance, like a noodle. And then I'll repeat it with your other arm, and then your legs. Okay?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. I did as he asked, almost immediately, I began to feel more relaxed than I had in a long time.

"Bella? I'm going to pick up one of your arms now, alright?"

"Uh huh."

Jasper lifted my right arm into the air, and dropped it. Then he did it to the rest of my limbs and got the same results. "Good job, Bella. Now do this a few more times, and then we'll go over some deep breathing techniques."

About thirty minutes later, our session was done.

"So, Bella. I'm going to give you a bit of homework to do until our next session next week. I want you to find time to practice some of the techniques we went over today, alright?"

"Um, okay. I can do that," I replied.

"Good. Why don't you go set up next week's appointment while I go get Edward's contact info."

"Alright. Thanks, Jasper. For helping me."

He gave me a crooked smile and said, "Don't be thanking me just yet. We haven't even gotten to the tough stuff yet."

I chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind."

After setting up my next appointment, I waited for Edward to say goodbye to Jasper, and then we headed back to Forks.

Edward was curious about what went on, so I told him about the exercises I had to do for the next week.

We talked about some other things, but we didn't bring up our conversation from this morning again. I was feeling a little bit drained from the long drive, and eventually fell asleep at some point.

"Bella? Bella? Wake up! You're home," Edward said softly as he gently shook me.

Once I was awake, I got out of the car and thanked Edward for taking me to my appointment. I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, and then bid him goodnight, before making my way inside the house.

I eventually dragged myself up the stairs to my bedroom, changed into my pajamas, and crashed in bed.

**A/N: I'm so sorry about the lack of updates for this story, but April and May are very busy months for me, so I've decided to try to update this story every other week, so I have one week to work on this story, and the other week to work on The New Me.**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

**See you soon!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hi! Thanks for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it. :)**

**I'm sorry for not updating for a while, but I just haven't really felt like writing lately.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 11**

**March 14, 2013**

Its been a week since my first appointment with Jasper, and now it's time for my next one.

Just like he asked, I've spent the past week practicing different relaxation techniques for about 30 minutes everyday. Even though I haven't had a panic attack during that time, overall, I think my daily 'meditations', as I like to think of them, have helped me feel a lot less stressed out in general.

I've even been sleeping a lot better too. And the other night when I had dinner with my dad, he commented on how relaxed and calm I seemed to be.

Just like last week, I got myself ready and when I was done, I sat down and began to read a book while I waited for Edward to come and pick me up.

As soon as I heard his car pull into the driveway, I was out the door.

He got out and greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. "Hi," he greeted with a smile.

"Hey," I replied as I felt myself begin to blush. He was just too handsome for his own good.

Edward noticed, and chuckled. "Ready to head out, Blushing Beauty?" he joked.

I playfully smacked him on the arm. "Shut up. You know I hate it when I blush. And yes, I'm ready to go."

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay! No need to get violent, Swan," he replied with a laugh. He then opened my door for me and shut it once I was inside. Then he walked over and got in, and then we began the long drive to Port Angeles.

The ride was much like it was last week. The first half was spent talking and joking, and other half was a bit more quiet as we got closer to the city.

It was during that time that I thought back to earlier in the week, when Edward and I had the chance to finish our conversation from before my last appointment-the one that was about how we felt about each other.

We had both decided that there was too much of a connection going on between us for us to remain just friends, so we were going to try for more, but we agreed to go very slow. Hell, it kind of has to be. The guy can't even touch me with his right hand without me freaking out over his scar.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Edward, startling me out of my thoughts.

I looked over at him and he was grinning at me. "Stuff," I replied.

He turned his gaze back to the road and said, "Care to narrow that down a bit?"

I chuckled. "Nope."

"Are you sure?" he asked with a grin.

"Yep."

"Positive?"

"Uh huh."

"Alright, I give up. All joking aside, you know you can tell me anything, right?" he said.

I sighed. "I know that, Edward. But you don't have to worry. I'm fine. Really."

"Okay. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

A few minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of Dr. Whitlock's office. After we got out of the car, I realized that Edward had brought a backpack with him.

"What's in there?" I asked curiously.

"My laptop. I figured I could work a little while you had your session."

"Um...okay." I didn't want to think about his 'work'.

We went inside, I signed in at the front desk, and sat down to wait for Jasper to come and get me. I didn't have to wait long though.

Five minutes later, I was sitting in his office telling him about my week. Once we got through that, we worked on my relaxation techniques some more before moving on to whatever Jasper had planned for me next.

"Are you ready to start the next part of your therapy, Bella? You've done really well so far," he stated.

I thought about it for a minute before making my choice. I nodded. "I'd like to start it."

Jasper smiled and nodded at me. "I'm glad to hear that. Follow me then." Then he walked out of the room and led me down the hallway to another room that had the door closed. "Before we go in, just be ready to use those techniques you've been working on. Are you ready?"

My heart began to race, and my breathing picked up, but I nodded anyways. I had to do this.

Then he opened the door. The room was completely dark, and I couldn't see anything. As we both walked inside, he turned on the lights.

And I found myself surrounded by sharks.

**A/N: I know it's much, but it's all I have for right now.**

**Shark Week starts July 5th on the Discovery Channel. I'm totally watching it. :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hi everyone. It's been awhile since I've updated any of my stories, especially this one. However, I figured that since Shark Week is starting again, I'd try updating it.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 12**

They were everywhere.

The walls of the room were covered in numerous photos and posters of sharks.

I could feel my fear and anxiety levels increasing more and more as I looked around the room. As my eyes passed from one picture to the next, my breathing picked up speed and my heart raced faster.

Despite the fact that I knew I had to try and fight off my incoming panic attack, my flight instinct seemed to be taking over instead. I wanted nothing more than to turn around and run out of the room.

Almost as if he could read my thoughts, Jasper suddenly moved to stand in front of me. For a moment I had even forgotten he was in the room with me. He placed his hands on my shoulders and bent down to look me in the eyes.

"Bella," he said calmly. "I need you to focus on me for a bit. Okay? You're starting to hyperventilate, and we need to get you calmed down before you end up passing out. Nod your head if you understand."

I nodded quickly.

"Good. I want you to close your eyes and focus on my voice. Can you do that for me, Bella?"

I nodded again and closed my eyes, but it only made things worse. I could still see the photos in my mind. I started to feel as if all the air was sucked out of the room and began to gasp for air.

"Bella!" Jasper said loudly. "Take a slow, deep breath for me, and hold it until I tell you to let it go. I need you to do that for me, alright?"

I tried to do what he asked, but it was too late. My vision had already started to get spotty from the lack of oxygen. I knew I was going to pass out at any moment.

Jasper began to say something, but I couldn't make out what it was before everything went black.

**A/N: I know it was short, but I think that's how I'm going to do the chapters from now on. I've been dealing with a lot of personal stuff over the past year, so it will be a bit easier on me that way.**

**Anyways, enjoy Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, or Shark Fest on NatGeo Wild. I know I will. :)**

**And before I forget, for those of you also following my story 'The New Me', I've already started on the next chapter for that, but it's not finished yet. Hopefully I'll get it done next week, but I'm not making any promises.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hi everyone. How was your first night of Shark Week 2016? Mine was pretty good. I especially enjoyed watching **_**Tiger Beach**_** and seeing the little baby sharks on an ultrasound machine. It was awesome.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight**_**.**

**Chapter 13**

An unpleasant aroma brought me back to my senses.

After I slowly opened my eyes and was able to focus, I saw Jasper leaning over me holding some smelling salts in his hand.

He smiled at me and said, "Welcome back, Bella. How are you feeling?"

"Tired. How long was I out this time?"

He looked at his watch and replied, "About five minutes."

I looked at him in surprise. "That's all?"

"Yep. You were out just long enough for me to carry you back to my office and get you settled on the sofa before letting Edward know what happened. Then I came back in here and woke you up."

"Oh," I responded quietly. I felt bad that he had to do all of that for me. He must think I'm pathetic.

I watched as Jasper walked over to a chair across from me and sat down. He sat forward and rested his elbows on his legs as he tried to get a feel for my emotional state.

"What are you thinking about right now?" he asked curiously.

I blew out a breath of air before I answered him. I looked down at my hands while I spoke. "I feel embarrassed for freaking out like that in front of you."

"Bella, please don't worry so much about that. It's not the first time that's happened to someone here, and it certainly won't be the last, okay?" he assured me in that Texan drawl of his.

I nodded my head, but didn't say anything.

"But while we're on that subject, can I ask you another question?"

"Sure."

"You know those were just photographs. They couldn't hurt you. So...why do you think you reacted the way you did?"

That was a very good question. But I wasn't really sure how to answer it.

**A/N: I just got finished watching tonight's new Shark Week shows. They were really good. I really liked **_**Sharks Among Us**_**. The idea that magnetic poles that repel sharks could one day be used instead of fishing nets as a safety measure is awesome. And better for the environment. :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Sorry for not updating the last two days. I like to make bracelets and stuff as a hobby, and some supplies I ordered arrived, and I started making some new stuff and ended up losing track of time.**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns **_**Twilight.**_

**Chapter 14**

Jasper gave me a few minutes to think of a way to answer his question, but the only answer I could come up with was that at one point, those sharks were real...and real sharks kill people.

After I told him that, he just sat there quietly for a minute, and then he hit me with another big question. "Unfortunately, in some instances, yes. But that's not always the case, Bella."

I knew deep down that he was right. But that still doesn't ease my fears. I think he could sense that too.

"I've come up with slightly different approach to the photo test that I think would be more helpful to you, but I'm going to need Edward's help this time around. Would you be willing to give it a try? I'll explain what will happen after I talk to Edward and get things set up."

I shrugged my shoulders. "I guess I could give it another go." Truthfully, I was tired from my earlier episode, but I was also curious as to how Edward could help.

Jasper flashed me a smile. "That's great. Just sit tight while I go talk to him, and I'll come and get you when we're ready, okay?"

"Okay," I replied softly. And with that, he got up and left his office.

I didn't have to wait very long for him to come back for me.

As we left his office, I noticed that he was taking me back to the same room as before, and I instantly went on alert. Once we reached the door, he stopped right outside of it, and asked, "Are you ready?"

I took a moment to take a few deep breaths and nodded.

He opened the door and we stepped inside, and I was surprised to see that all of the pictures had been taken down, and in the center of the room there was now a long table and some chairs. And in one of them, sat Edward.

Without thinking about it, I immediately began walking towards him, and as I reached him, he stood up and wrapped his arms around me. I hugged him back and felt a lot calmer.

"How are you feeling, Bella? You had me a bit worried when Jazz came and told me you passed out," he said gently.

I reluctantly let go of him and gave him a small smile. "I'm a little tired and nervous, but not too bad right now."

"That's good to hear," he replied, but I could see the concern in his eyes. He moved and pulled out the chair next to his. "Why don't you have a seat so we can get started?"

I nodded and thanked him as I sat down. As soon as Edward was also seated, Jasper sat down across the table from the both of us, and cleared his throat.

"So, here's what's going to happen..."

**A/N: Next up, we're going to learn some facts about sharks with Bella and Edward. :)**


End file.
